Hunting Boys!

My Daddy + Dallas (older brother) came to the family Granby House for their annual Elk Hunt!  We were able to join them for the two weekends they were here...

SUNDAY 9/19

Hanging out on the deck w/ Big Daddy...

Getting some 'mustache sugar'!

Uncle Dallas chatting about Elsie Anne's new sippy cup!

Big Daddy + EA watching the train in the distance + playing @ this cool wooden park!

First time on a tire swing!

EA loved this special time w/ Big Daddy!

WEDNESDAY 9/22
After a quick work week, Shawn, EA + I made it back to Granby for Dad's birthday dinner!  Uncle Dallas had EA in awe as he lit the candles:)

We had been talking about Big Daddy's birthday all week, so she was primed + ready for his birthday song!  I just love this sweet pic of these two admiring eachother!!

THURSDAY 9/23
We had a lazy morning w/ the hunters, a yummy lunch in Grand Lake Village, and as the boys went into the woods, we took EA to the park.

One of her favorite spots on the playground is the "bigde"!

Daddy bounced her up + down!

FRIDAY 9/24
And all weekend long, our big girl sat @ this table using only a pillow to raise her up!  She loved this new status of 'big girl'!

The boys hunted ALL-DAY-LONG, so we were on our own!  Elsie Anne has always enjoyed watching the 'skateboarders', so we took Shawn's skateboard for a spin!  When I was a little girl, I thought I was pretty good @ staying on the thing, but now, its much scarier!  EA loved the ride from the front of the board:)

Daddy does the ramps + impresses us ladies!

Then home to cook up a hearty meal for the hunters!  Shawn, of course, had a fantastic menu planned... BowTie Pasta w/ his own Veggie + Chicken Alfredo Sauce, Roasted Asparagus + Garlic Bread!  It was a HIT and we all 'carb loaded'!!!

This is what family time is all about...hugs from my Daddy, tales of the woods, beers in our hands...

...and this grin from my big brother!!!  It was so nice having one-on-one time w/ Dallas, its not that often this happens!

SATURDAY 9/25
FOOTBALL TIME!!  Everyone saddled up in their Seminole attire... + drove to Grand Lake Village for a football frenzy!  We watched FSU + OSU whip some tail!

Big Daddy spoiled his grand-daughter rotten...ice cream cone, doggie balloon + a lollipop!

This was our perch while Uncle Dallas shopped for his family:) 

EA had more sugar in this one day than she has had in her entire 18mo of life!  She will always be greatful to her BigDaddy for it:)

At the bar, watching our respective teams!  EA cheering, "tuudoown meminole!"

Some Uncle Dallas playtime + love!  It was very obvious the two of them enjoyed their bonding time:)  Dallas is usually a little side-tracked w/ his own three children!

EA made a big girl-friend, Ashley, who toted her around all day!  She seriously reminded me of myself as an eight-year-old!  I was the biggest baby hog:)  Anyway, EA followed + Ashley doted, so it was a perfect friendship for the 4hrs we hung out!!

Later in the afternoon, Elsie Anne experienced her biggest accident to date:(  She fell off the picnic table they'd been playing on all day long, head first, into the gravel.  It scared Shawn + I to DEATH!  We'd never seen such a booboo + she had 3 scrapes w/ blood + bumps across her forehead.  Thank goodness Dad + Dallas were there to calm us down.  Both having raised 2 boys each, they'd seen much, MUCH worse, + were able to show us that she was okay + we'd be okay:)

We finished up the evening w/ delicious Elk Stew @ home + EA went to bed w/out a hitch.  Really, once the trauma of falling was over, she could've cared less about her big scabs.

SUNDAY 9/26
EA + I heard BigDaddy + Dallas packing up the car @ 4:30am and decided to sneak another good-bye kiss from them:)  I think the boys enjoyed it too!  Then we said good-night to the moon + went back to bed until it was really time to wake up!

Daddy fixed us a delicious breakfast...but in the meantime, we played in the ClubHouse EA had found on the 3rd floor earlier in the weekend.  We brought her bowls + spoon so she could "cuuk" like Daddy!

We stuffed our tummies on Veggie Eggs + admired EA's battle wounds!

Shawn couldn't miss his Bengals, so we went right down the road to SolVista Inn to watch their victory!  The Lobby is a 'stuffed animal' Zoo...kinda neat from EA's perspective:)

What a fun Family weekend.  We're glad the boys got to see what EA is really all about these days:)